A 24-year-old South Korean who had overstayed his visa by more than a year was arrested after allegedly staging his own kidnapping in Chonburi province to convince relatives to send him money so that he could return home, police said on Wednesday.

To fulfil his vow to by the end of this month rid Thailand of 7,000 foreigners who have overstayed their visas, Acting Immigration Police chief Pol Maj-General Surachate Hakpal on Wednesday led some 1,000 officers to “x-ray” 25 locations in Pathum Thani’s Khlong Luang district.